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This is an absolutely beautiful story, with an interesting and unusual viewpoint. Neville is also well-written here, with a good mix of good old Neville and grown-up Healer Longbottom. Stunningly original and heartrending.

So stylish. I could happily drown in this prose. The story was beautifully written and really sensual, too. I loved the brief snippets of all four couples. They just flowed together so well, that I was sorry to see it end. As someone who doesn't think Neville became an overnight star after his bravery (he was so diffident in the books and that doesn't vanish overnight), I think this story captures him perfectly.

The author wove a very good mystery that kept me guessing (and I read a lot of mysteries). What brought the story to life was the characterisation, in fact, as well as the wonderful mystery plot. I also liked the setting of the story and the amount of research Kara must have done to make this believable; the mention of the heliographs, describing the way the curse-breakers worked; it all added to the sense of story. This is such a well-plotted fic, showing great characterisation of both canon characters and OCs, amazing world-building and rather sensational smut.

The characterisation of Ron is truly exceptional in this fic. This period of time, when the trio is searching for Horcruxes, is a very difficult time for the three of them, but yet, we never really see Ron’s conflicts, especially before he leaves. The author has managed to characterise Ron perfectly, all while in first person. Instead of being told what Ron is feeling, it is incorporated into the narrative, so the reader is never getting the information just thrown at them. The reader really feels as if they are Ron in this story.

This story is so beautifully written. This story manages to draw emotion from the reader without it feeling forced. The characterisation of Draco and Katie and the way that their relationship develops over the two chapters is so well-paced. The tone of desperation and lust is always there, whether it be simmering below or bursting to the surface. The story is intense. The pain that Katie and Draco feel is so well done. It also ends on a hopeful note, which makes it all the more powerful, because otherwise the dark and angst would be too much.

This story charmed the judging panel with its clever mesh of Potterverse and Shakespeare, but without taking away from the power of either. It takes a brow-raising pairing in the form of Filch/Pince and really makes an audience believe in them and want them to be happy, all while sporting snappy, witty dialogue. It was the clear winner.

Julia, we’re giving you this award only on the condition that you write more! I’m not sure any of us thought we’d be saying we needed more zombie apocalypse but we absolutely do! It's original and fresh, and it's everything AU should be. It was a really brilliant piece of writing. Writing in reverse worked perfectly and I think gave the story even more impact than if we'd seen it in chronological order. When I first heard of the zombies in HP idea floating around I could only picture something slightly ridiculous And yet this worked. It worked really well. It was serious and moving and believable. Wow.

Though not a major character in the story for which he was written, Henry has the feel of a character who is a rich, fully-realised human being and leaves readers wanting to know more about what stories he has to tell. His life has meaning and scope outside of the realm of the story and the main character. Also, the art of portraying an antagonist who is on the side of good is a difficult one, but Inverarity succeeded with flying colours in the form of Henry Tstosie.

Vendetta was effing amazing, so chillingly violent and showing the very much darker side to Bellatrix's character. It’s such an impressive insight into Bellatrix; she is made understandable, almost, by her past, but you can still see the insanity building in her. The writing is gorgeous, too, with lovely imagery throughout. As an example of skill in writing, Vendetta takes it. Bellatrix is not a character that I can give my sympathy to, but Ariana made her seem real. I am completely in love with the style and flow of this story. It works so well and makes the story itself and the plot very strong.

The plotting was fantastic, and I just think all the characters were really well-rounded and beautifully characterised, particularly James and Lily. I couldn't forget Defiance. The plot was so jaw-droppingly amazing. The characterisation in this fic is outstanding and I loved the twists and turns in the plot. The prose was full of tension and a darkness that was so apt for the plot. It was extremely brilliant and well-thought out.

This story had me laughing one minute and nearly crying the next -- I genuinely don’t think any piece of writing has made me go through emotions so fast before. The characterization is so...perfect. I love the little portraits of grief, and I love Fred and George's trademark silliness. It was a marvelous way to bring closure. I was truly blown away by this, it is so well-written. In addition, despite being quite humorous, it still deals with the subject matter sensitively. Even though I've read tons of fics about this period before, this one still kept me interested and I still evoked strong emotions in me which is a testament to just how good the writing is.

This was a wonderfully written story focusing on two characters we don’t hear about that often. The perspectives of one person just few years younger than Harry and one just a few older were interesting, different experiences of the war than we saw in canon. Romilda Vane is not a likable person in the books, but Jess shows how her actions towards Harry were just the result of, well, being a teenager, and that actually she's a nice person. The characters have complex, sometimes conflicting, motivations for continuing to meet with each other. It feels very…human. Their characterization isn’t sacrificed to bang on about the themes of the story. It’s just a brilliant story!

I liked this forging of an unlikely friendship, and the ways Draco and Neville been there for each other over the years. They're both well-characterized, and Gina made it work very well. This fic also tugged at my heartstrings. It showed not only their friendship, but what Draco and Neville made of their lives after Hogwarts, and I liked the details of their lives, from Neville's studies to Draco trying to cut out his Dark Mark and the subsequent drug addiction to their wives and families. Gina does a wonderful job in creating circumstances under which Draco and Neville might conceivably be friendly. Her evolution of that friendship shows us how people really can change.

It's a touching and powerful story, which is about more than characterising Next Generation characters in a believable way and with an interesting plot, but tapping into something deeper than that. It’s also a very universal fic in that Maple captures something which is so relatable to real life. It's elegantly written, and Lily's characterisation is so well done, without seeming overbearing, something that's so easy to do in the first person, as well as the present tense. Her internal monologue gives such a strong impression of a very clever, thoughtful teenager, without that seeming unrealistic.

As a Next-Gen story, it is exemplary of what this category can offer. Nothing is typical about it. James isn't the usual James-The-Marauder-Reincarnated; he has some of Harry's hesitancy and doubt. Dominique isn't a carbon copy of her mother, either -- she's more down-to-earth, and she has some of the same doubts that James does.The canon details are firm and it feels very much a part of the Potterverse. The way the author unfurled Dominique and James's relationship -- from the humorous opening scene to the heartbreaking last section -- was perfect. The structure is so beautiful, slipping backwards and forwards in time very easily, and never feeling over-worked or complicated. The central image of the stars or carousels is so powerful, and memorable long, long afterwards.

Reading this poem is like taking a walk through the twins' life. It is by far the greatest tribute to the twins that I’ve had the good fortune to experience. It’s also a wonderful example of prose poetry, equipped with a particular rhythm that carries me like a tide. Enterprising Young Men has stayed with me ever since I read it for the first time. I remember being in awe of it then and I still am. It still hits me in the gut each time I read those final two lines, and that is the mark of a truly powerful poem – when you can read it over and over and still feel like it’s the first time.

Every emotion, every word, every moment was just so perfect. It had a great feel to it without being overbearing, and it really allowed the reader to get into the mood of being down in the Chamber. The language is beautiful, I loved the characterisation of both Ron and Hermione, and Lori built up the tension so beautifully in such a short story. Ron's sense of humor, Hermione's deep-down insecurity, the whole scene with the Horcrux, their interactions, everything is just pitch-perfect.

The characterisation of James and Lily was wonderful. They have that canon feel to them, but there is so much more that Gina added to make them fuller and more alive. The author also presents what is probably the most prolific type of story in the fandom – a seventh year Lily/James fic – in a way that is fresh and solid enough that it reads as if this were the only way it could've happened.

This story was just breathtaking, packed with intense emotion and with so many twists and turns that each one was a fresh blow. In so few words, Ariana has created complex, 3D characters who really work in the situations they're put into, particularly how their self-loathing kept them from really being happy together. There’s something very much unconventional about the story that makes it impossible to stop reading.

There were so many little touches in Carole’s characterisation that made everything fit so well into canon. Ginny was both the girl we know from the books and a character who has matured and changed because of the conflicts of her sixth year, and Dean was very much a likeable character. This, therefore, is a perfect example of a non-canon romance story. The relationship works without breaking canon characterisation. It picks up the characters from the books with the backstory they share and builds something from there. Also, the deviation from canon feels natural, rather than forced, and that's what makes this story a winner.

Carole did an amazing job of taking two disliked characters from the books and turning them into, perhaps not loveable, but endearing characters. Both Cormac and Zach are very well portrayed here. They are completely in character from what we saw in the books, but they have still matured to where this story takes place. The way that these two people who never interacted in the books and are two of the most despised characters in the series bounce off each other and relate to each other is fantastic. The truth or dare motif was never too much, too forced, but ran through the story smoothly, making it more coherent.

What amazed me was the style of writing. There was the correct formalness of the era, but the intense moments were so intimate and well-written. This story was a mastery of twisted logic and devious games. Their relationship was so interesting and used as a springboard for the plot so well; it kept me hooked all the way through. The plot in it is good and highly believable, the characters in it are rich (both canon and OC), the world-building is terrific for a shorter piece, and nothing felt anachronistic. It just felt so heavily like it was canon.

Trick or treat!

Their name might sound like barf or vomit,
But their valiant cause is truly far from it;
They strive to leave the very best reviews.
Where they relax and chat is where you’ll find the next clue.

Last edited by ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor; 10-28-2012 at 07:54 AM.

Adrian won a QSQ! Thanks to Minnabird for the beautiful banner. Click on it to read Stolen Magic - the story of the second wizarding war through a very different character's eyes.

And now for the FQSQs! Thank you all for your votes. Some of the races were incredibly close. As such, I am going to be announcing runners up as well. The winners of these awards will also receive a banner. Runner-ups, however, will only receive squeeing rights!

The FQSQ banner is:

(also created by Hokey)

And now, the list! (I realise only some of these have comments because only some voters left comments, leaving things a little uneven).

Slytherin of the yearWinner - the opaleye and coolh5000

Very tough competition. Hannah gets my vote because she simply epitomises all the fabulous things about Slytherin.

Runner-Up - iMusic17

Ravenclaw of the yearWinner - babewithbrains

She is everywhere, representing her house in the best possible way, and we all love her. Soraya epitomises all the best things about Ravenclaw.

Runner-Up - Gmariam

Hufflepuff of the yearWinner - Equinox Chick

This was so hard because all of these Puffs are wonderful members of the forums. If there was an All of Them option I would have voted for that!

Runner-Up - hestiajones

We all rock, but this one is truly industrious, puts herself out for others and is incredibly loyal.

Gryffindor of the yearWinner – welshdevondragon

Very hardworking!

Runner-Up - Maple_and_PheonixFeather

HoH/Prefect of the yearWinner - ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor

I'm not a Ravenclaw, but going by the nomination, Jess definitely deserves this award for the hard work she puts into her house. Jess is a very active HoH and deserves the award.

Archive Mod of the yearWinner - ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor

Forum Mod of the yearWinner - ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor (The Great Hall)

Runner-Up - Equinox Chick (TTB) and hestiajones/the opaleye (SBBC)

Can't I vote for them all? Seriously, though, Carole is a driving force on the site in keeping people writing with user-friendly challenges. She is so valuable and takes ownership of the forum she runs

Most helpful userWinner - Equinox Chick

Runner-Up - coolh5000

Most enthusiastic memberWinner - iMusic17

Runner-Up - babewithbrains

Best bannermakerWinner - the opaleye

Very tough competition, but Julia edges it for me.

Runner-Up - majestic_ginny

Her banners are beautifully gorgeous with wonderful composition, colouring and fonts. She's also probably THE most prolific bannermaker at the moment. xD

Best ArtistWinner - lttlebird

Runner-Up - minnabird, MissMeg and Karaley Dargen

Minna's style is just so classic and artistic. I can see from even her stick people that she has an eye for what makes a picture meaningful and stand out.

Best DrabblerWinner - the opaleye

Runner-Up - Karaley Dargen and Weasley Mom

Best BetaWinner - the owl

The judges are all preparing their next stories to send to Sophie for betaing as we speak. Her corrections were spot on and her comments added a lot to her betaing work. She was so enthusiastic and we got the feeling she really enjoyed the fic as well as just checking it for errors which would be a great feeling for an author.

Runner-Up - babewithbrains

Soraya is an incredibly competent beta – she’s spot on with her corrections, knowing what to look for and what to say to improve things. We were very impressed with her work and would have no hesitation recommending her as a beta.

Best NewbieWinner - the owl

Wonderful newbie. Enthusiastic everywhere!

Runner-Up - acaciacarter

Best ReviewerWinner - babewithbrains

All of these reviewers are excellent, but one thing that I think Soraya does above and beyond is review everything she reads and makes a concerted effort to build a constructive rapport with the author. I wish I could clone her and set her loose on the archives. Everyone would be happy.

Runner-Up - lucca4, The_Real_Hermione and The Owl

Outstanding Contribution to MNFF

Outstanding contribution awards are given to ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor, Equinox Chick and coolh5000

Honestly, I couldn't choose between these three. Hannah has shown absolute dedication and mega organisational skills to bring about the QSQs again and again, even though she's not a mod any more. Jess is a fantastic mod, always helpful and probably the most helpful, visible and hard working mod there is. Without her, I don't think things on MNFF would run nearly as smoothly. Carole is just fantastic with her tireless efforts serving at the bar. She always brings out new and interesting challenges and plus, with well over one hundred fics on the archives, her contribution to the quality fics we have on the archives can only be described as outstanding.

Later on today I will post a list of the judges who worked so hard to get these awards released, but right now, I have to get to work! Congratulations to winners of all the awards and have a lovely day of squeeing.

Adrian won a QSQ! Thanks to Minnabird for the beautiful banner. Click on it to read Stolen Magic - the story of the second wizarding war through a very different character's eyes.

There is one last post I need to make, and that is to thank the people without whom these awards would never happen - the judges!

The following list of people gave up their time, reading and commenting on stories and helping to make the near-impossible decisions as to which stories were most worthy of an award (because there were many nominees who could easily have won).

These awards have become one of the most important events on the MNFF calendar and they mean a lot to a lot of people, but they take a lot of work and organisation to keep running smoothly.

This year, to thank all of the judges for their hard work, they will all receive a personalised banner, designed, once again, by the very talented Hokey. Here is a preview of the banner:

The first extra-special group of people I would like to thank are the committee leaders, who guided the judges through the process and helped drive the judging forward and ensure results could be published in a timely manner, as well as doing some of the reading and commenting themselves. They are:

Next are the people who supported them through the process - the judges. These people read all the nominees and ensured every story was given the discussion and attention it deserved. Hopefully, I have included everyone on here, but if you think your name should be included then please do let me know (and accept my apologies for missing you).

With that, and with a tear in my eye, I bring the 2012 QSQ awards to a close. I really do love these awards - they are the highlight of my MNFF year, and I hope they continue to run successfully for as long as MNFF is open.

If you have any question/concerns/feedback etc about the awards then please let me know. You may post in this thread to squee as you see fit.

Adrian won a QSQ! Thanks to Minnabird for the beautiful banner. Click on it to read Stolen Magic - the story of the second wizarding war through a very different character's eyes.

This was one of the best QSQs I've ever seen. I hope you all know that every story was fantastic, and, for some of my committees in particular, it came down to a very tough choice.

Congratulationsss to all the winners! It was lovely reading your stories and not so lovely deciding the winner...which is a bit of a backwards compliment, but one nonetheless. I've loved judging for the second year in a row (what?) and all my committee leaders were fabulous as was the rest of the team.

Ebil Lieutenant
RavenclawEnemies of the Heir, Beware...of the Petrified Cat!

Join Date

Aug 2010

Location

London

Posts

555

Congrats to every single winner as well as all the nominees! I was on three committees including my own, and I'd therefore like to give lots of squishes and kisses to the wonderful, amazing Carole/Equinox Chick and the equally fabulous, lovely Kara/Karaley Dargen, for being the excellent committee leaders they were and for keeping as cool as cucumberbatches during the entire judging process, making it so much easier for their respective committees. But also, thank you to my fellow judges for being such great people (damn it, I'm running out of adjectives here!) and helping to shape the QSQs into what they are now.

My biggest shoutout, however, is for none other than Bobbbbbbbbbb/coolh5000 for being the most fantastic QSQ host, for answering all of my annoying questions, for sorting out all my problems and for being the lovely snake she is. <333

Congrats to everyone who was nominated, and extra congrats to those who won!

I honestly have to say that there has rarely been such a good selection of nominations in my categories. It just felt like the level of quality keeps rising! The winners definitely deserve their wins - all the stories I know are incredibly brilliant, and I can't wait to go and read those that I'm not yet familiar with. But there were some absolute gems among the other nominations as well. You should all really just go and read read read! There's so much brilliant stuff out there!

Oh and congrats to the FQSQ winners and runners up as well This is what keeps the boards alive!

Aaaand also thanks to everyone who judged together with me. You've been patient and wonderful, and worked so hard. Thanks to all the judges <3

And, of course, thanks to Hannah, for doing this again and again and never tiring of the stress and the small and big issues that come with the QSQs. I don't know how you manage to organise such a huge thing, but you've done so well, again.

This completely gorgeous banner, which makes me happier than a squirrel, was made by Hokey

Congratulations to all the winners, FQSQ ans QSQS! I was lucky enough to sit on four panels where the quality of the nominations were especially high. I want to thank all the committee leaders for making this a huge success - YAY FOR SWIFT RESULTS - and also to BOB/HANNAH, without whom this wouldn't have been a success!